Electric lantern



T. H JACKSON.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

APPLiCATION FlLED APR-25,1919. 1,333,077. Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

FICi l 26 v 2 Y W M fi prrn THOMAS H. JACKSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

Application filed April 25, 1919.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, T'HOI\L\S H. Jackson, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful 1m srovements in Eleo trio Lanterns, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the ac companying drawings.

My invention relates to electric lanterns, and more especially to lantern equipments of portable type, suitable for use by meterreaders in reading gas-meters in dwelling houses, for example. It is my aim to make the lantern light, compact, and convenient to carry and to use; durable and rugged, and reasonably proof against breakage if dropped; simple in construction, and free from liability of derangement; easy and inexpensive in upkeep; and capable of rapid manufacture at relatively low cost, How these and other advantages can be secured in connection with my invention will ap pear from the description hereinafter of the best embodiment at present known to me, while its scope and essentials will be indicated in my claims.

ln the drawings, Figure I, is a side elcvation of a lantern constructed in accordance with my invention, certain parts being in section.

Fig. H, is a plan view, certain upper parts being removed.

As will be seen from the drawings, the lantern equipment comprises a compact unitary battery structure 1, as source of electric current and a lantern proper 2, associated therewith. The battery 1, is shown as a thin, fiat rectangular electric storage battery of familiar commercial type, con sisting of a closed case of nonfragile translucent material containing; the electrolyte in the form of a solid or semisolid mass 3, with metal terminals L and 5, projecting in para-llelism from one end thereof and the usual refilling plug 6. Secured to and carried by said terminals and 5, is a bridge piece 7, which, in turn, carries the lantern proper 2. The lantern 2, is of a familiar tubular commercial type, con'iprising a tubular case 8, of insulating fiber with screw-threaded metal ferrules 9, 9, secured on its ends by tubular rivets 10; a metal reflector 11, and a glass lens or cover piece 12, clamped on the upper end of the case by a flanged metal sleeve 13, screwed on the ferrule 9; a low-voltage Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 192% Serial No. 292,647.

tungsten-filament incandescent electric lamp 14, secured in the reflector in the usual way; and the usual sliding switch 15, with operating button 16, for putting the ferrules 9, 9, in electrical connection with one another to complete the lamp circuit. The lower end of the case 8, is screwed into the usual metal cap 17, which is secured on the bridge piece 7, by the tubular rivets 18.

Since the bridge piece or member 7, extends across or bridges the terminals 4t and 5, it must embody or be provided with means of insulation, in order to avoid slnn't-circuiting the lamp 14:. The simplest way of giving the bridge piece 7, this insulating character is to make it of a suitably thin piece of insulating fiber with its ends engaging and 5. As shown in H, the fiber bridge piece 7, is apertru 'ed to receive the screwthreaded terminals iand 5, and is securely clamped on them by their thumb nuts 19 and '20,

Current connection to the lantern 2, from the terminals iand 5, is made by means of conductors 21 and at opposite ends of the bridge piece 7 shown as in the form of flat metal pieces or strips carried by the bridge piece 7 at opposite sides thereof in reference to its thickness, and clamped into electrical connection with the terminals by the nuts 19 and 20. The conductor 21, on the upper side of the budge piece 7, is connected to the cap 17, which forms an element of the lantern supply circuit by being riveted down under it. The conductor 22, on the lower side of the bridge piece 7, is secured there to by the tubular rivets 23, and it is connected. to the lamp 1%, by means of an insulatively covered flexible lead 24:, which enters the case 8, through a hole 25, in the bridge piece 7, and a still larger hole in the bottom of the cap 17. As shown, this lead 24, is at one end soldered to the conductor 22, and at the other to a sheetmetal spring cap '36, whose spring fingers engage an annular ridge on an insulating sleeve 27, attached to the reflector 11. The screw shell terminal of the lamp base (not shown) screws into the reflector neck (not shown) as usual, and the center contact of the lamp base has soldered thereto a helical wire spring 28, which engages the bottom of the cap 26. Closure of the switch 15, therefore, completes the lamp circuit between the terminals 4: and 5, and lights the lamp.

secured to the terminals 4 and The battery structure 1, need not exceed approximate dimensions of e); 3X -5 so that it can he slipped into the upper outside coat pocket of the person using it, Where it will be instantly available, and the device as a Whole'is so light in weight that can be comfortably carried in this manner. It can also be securely held under the left arm of the meter reader, who can by slight movement of his bed Y and arm direct the beam of light tothe meter dials, While both his hands are'occupied in recording their readings. It also makes a convenient treuble lamp about a; automobile; and upon. occasion it will eta; d upright on the ground and illuminate the bottom of the car bodgy a feature much appreciated by anyone Who has to lie on his back under an. automobile in making repairs. Not only is the device as a Whole rigid and strong, but it has no delicate parts'liable to be injured or target out of order; and its component elements are simple and easy to put together and take apart. For the battery 1 and the lantern i can be used (as alr ady intimated) devices already a 'ailable in t 1e opei mar: 1 so that the only special parts required are 1 1e bridge piece 7, and the current connections.

It will be seen, furthermore, that the parts other than the battery 1 and its terminals are all associated with the bridge piece T in a compact,unitary lantern structure'that ca: be attached to the battery and detached theretrorii (witho it an llsasseinbling or impairment of its inti ity) with the utmost convenience and quiclrness, and that the necessaryelectrical connections correctly made by the nere c attachment, without any special attention,since it makes no dift'erence which of the battery lie miuals 5 is connected to either of the conduct: and 22. The bridge piece '7 i =us tl bone or unifying struc ural member or clei'nent of this Whole lantern ucture: while the bridge piece '7, conductors ill and] conductive socket or cap torui, speak, the nucleus of the lantern closed battery structure with para e i nals PTQJBClZlllg from r 1c end the aid unitary lantern struct u'e ll'lLrlIllTGCl Lpon s end oi the battery structure and comprising a structural member bridging said l'.*' 'llnals; a lantern proper secured to said structural member intermediate said terminus,

and-current supply conductors for said lantern secured to said structural member; and means for detachably securing said structural member to the battery terminals and thereby attaching; the lantern structure to the battery structure and clampin the lautern current supply conductors into electrical connectici with the battery terminals.

2. The combination of a thin, flat. unitary closed battery structure with parallel screwthreaded terminals projecting from one end thereof; a unitary lantern strucure mount ed upon sa l cud oi? the battery structure and comprisn'ig a structural lllljtllllfljl bridging said terminals and having its ends apertured to receive them, a lantern proper seated and secured against said structural ll lbel' nter-in 'al'e its apertures with an nt oi its s1 I ily circuit on its abutting I a current supply conductor for said lansuid clcuicu' and said "ictural member .s .l extending into proximity to one of he tor:uimil-receiving apci' teen eain u-rd lictu' (111738; of said .u ubcr, and another current supply conductor for said lantern sccurml to said structural member and cxtciuliiu into pnuimity to its other tern:inal-rcccirinc apci cure; and nuts drtachabiy sccuriuu said structural member to the battery termi uals and thereby atl" iuu the lantern struc ture to tie battery *"ll'lliiilll'fl and completing the electrical coilnections between batter and lantern.

3. :ln attachmeiu compr sing: a structural member adapted to be :-'li?\ll'l3(i across battery terminals; a coud t socket for detachably securing a la crn proper mounted on said structural membe. and cu rent supply conductors tor the antern secured to said structural member and arranged in ciu au'e the battery terminals hen said structural member is secured thereto: one oi" said couuc ut ductors being clamped between said socket and said member.

4. in attachment comprising an insulating; bridge piece with ends apcriured tc rc ceiye battery terminals, lantern cap scoured to said brie piece between its apcw turcsv and current i uctors carried by said bridge piece and extending into iaroxiiuity to said api-irtures at qum il'e sides of said bridge piece for eumrggpnurui with lilo but tery terminals.

in Witness whereof. l. have llcrcunlo signed my mune at l. hilu le pliia, Pennsylvania. this; 24th day of pril if lf .JMJU-l ll. JACKFUX.

Witnesses Janus Ii. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

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